The ever-expanding popularity of the Internet and other forms of networked computer systems has resulted in an enormous wealth of information and services becoming available to the average computer user. At the most basic level of functionality, the user can instruct a browser application to connect to a particular web site, to view information stored on a web page at that site and/or partake of services provided at the site, such as trading stocks, purchasing merchandise, participating in surveys, etc. At this level of operation, the user's experience is limited to the particular subject matter provided by a web page at the site to which the browser is connected. In order to view a different type of subject matter, the user must command the browser to connect to another site, either by explicitly entering the address of a new site, if it is known, or by activating a link to another site which is embedded in the contents of the web page currently being viewed.
In an effort to enhance the user's experience, various mechanisms have been employed which provide the user with information from multiple Internet sites in the context of a single web page. One such mechanism is known as a banner. Generally speaking, a banner comprises a portion of a web page whose content is determined by a source which is separate from the source of the underlying content of the web page to which the browser has connected. The separate source might be a different server, or a different file on the same server. Typically, the content of the banner is provided by an Internet site which is different from the site that functions as the host for the web page. As such, the banner can be used to provide additional information to the user, beyond that which forms the intrinsic contents of the current web page to which the latest connection was made.
While the use of banners has increased the dimensions of the information and/or services provided to the computer user within the context of a single web page, the approaches which have been employed to date in the deployment of this technology have not provided a consistent user experience. For example, one of the principal uses for banners has been as a medium for advertisements. Typically, the entity which is publishing a web page may agree to lease banner space to a third party, which can be used for an advertisement of that third party's web site. However, this space may only be leased for a limited period of time. At the end of that time, a different party may acquire the lease of the banner space, or the publishing entity may decide to terminate the banner space. Consequently, a party which employs banners as a form of advertising is not guaranteed continuous access to a popular site for such a purpose.
Furthermore, if a user comes to rely upon banners as a form of access to additional web sites, the lack of continuity in their content, and/or availability, may become a source of frustration.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a more consistent and comprehensive approach to the use of banners as a source of access to information and services on the Internet and other networked computer systems. To this end, it is further desirable to provide the user with access to a variety of different types of content through the auspices of a banner-like mechanism, and the ability to personalize the different types of content that are provided via the banner.